Three steps to a better world.

FLY RIGHT.
Nature vacations save endangered species and fragile habitats. In 2011, for example, outcry from travelers and tour operators helped put the brakes on a proposed highway across the Serengeti. Airlines have stepped up their eco-initiatives, but we can make an impact before boarding. Purchase carbon offsets from a reputable organization such as MyClimate. The cost to offset an NYC-to-Cape Town flight, for example, is $142.

TRAVEL WITH A WINNER.
Each year the Virtuoso Sustainable Tourism Leadership Awards recognize the world’s top socially and environmentally responsible tour operators. The winner in 2015: Natural Habitat Adventures, which introduced the world’s first hybrid safari truck, a retrofitted Toyota Highlander. The carbon-neutral tour company’s long-term partnership with World Wildlife Fund lets travelers learn firsthand about the conservation of endangered species.

MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
Avoid voluntourism holidays focused on orphanages and young children: A growing number of studies show that repeat emotional attachments and abandonments from waves of well-meaning volunteers take a psychological toll on children. The best way to make a positive impact is environmentally, through organizations such as the Sierra Club or Tourism Cares, which kicks off its series of short-term volunteer programs in U.S. national parks at the Grand Canyon in November.

(Grand Canyon) Meinzhan/iStock

If you'd be interested in working with a Virtuoso advisor on a sustainable trip option, connect below.